ABC's Charlie Gibson approached it from a different angle, trying to paint Palin as a theocrat who believes we are fighting a "holy war" in Iraq. Despite Gibson's smug assertion that he was reciting Palin's "exact words," he specifically omitted key words and completely twisted her meaning. He misrepresented Palin's exhortation that we pray for our troops and pray that they are doing God's work as an affirmative statement that they (SET ITAL) are (END ITAL) doing God's work.
Not that it would have been terrible for Palin to have rejected liberal moral equivalency arguments between Americans and terrorists and implied we have the moral high ground over homicide-bombing fanatics. But she didn't say that. Palin has made clear she doesn't believe she has a pipeline into God's will or that she can speak for him -- only that she would strive humbly to do his will and that she would continue to commune with him, in prayer and through reading the Bible. Again, horrors!
I hope liberals keep showing their open contempt for sincerely practicing Christians. I hope they continue to operate under the assumption they can scare Americans about Palin's Bible-believing faith. But in the meantime, they might want to refresh their memories about American presidents and prayer.
Almost all of our presidents have relied heavily on prayer. But to be fair, let's just look at modern Democratic ones.
In the middle of the Cuban missile crisis, President John F. Kennedy prayed at St. Matthew's Cathedral. President Lyndon Johnson repeatedly called for national days of prayer and reportedly prayed a dozen times a day.
Jimmy Carter said: "There's no doubt that during my time as president, I prayed more intensely and more fervently for God's guidance than at any other time in my life. … The problems were so complex that I sought counsel." Bible-toting Bill Clinton said, "I assure you that no president makes decisions like (an agreement with Haiti) without deep thought and prayer."
Do you ever remember anyone accusing these Democrats of having alarming theocratic impulses?
Better yet, have you heard anyone in the liberal media criticizing Obama for his statement that he prays "to Jesus every night"? Or Joe Biden for urging people to pray that the levees in New Orleans hold?
I wonder why not.